Around the world in 15 magnificent sculptures

Musement goes around the glove to share 15 of the world’s most famous sculptures.

From Paris to Tokyo to New York to Rio, Musement shares 15 of the world’s most famous sculptures worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.

1. David

An emblem of Florence that extols the civic virtues of the Florentine Republic as well as an indisputable Renaissance masterpiece, Michelangelo’s David, depicted before his fight against Goliath, is visible in the Accademia Gallery.

2. Apollo and Daphne

Inside the Borghese Gallery in Rome stands a Baroque masterpiece: Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne. The sculpture depicts the metamorphosis of Daphne from nymph to laurel tree by her father, Zeus, to escape the never-ending advances of Apollo.

3. The Rape of Proserpina, Rome

This sculpture, another must-see at the Borghese Gallery, was sculpted by the same hands as Apollo and Daphne and represents the abduction of Proserpina by Pluto, the god of the underworld. The remarkable way that Pluto’s hand sinks into the flesh of Proserpina is sure to give you goosebumps.

5. The Thinker

This bronze sculpture is Rodin’s most famous and can be found at his namesake museum in Paris. This nude’s impressive muscles radiate a certain power, and the body, curled like a giant question mark, demonstrates a genuine fragility.

7. The Manneken Pis

At the corner of Rue du Chêne and Rue de l’Étuve (Oak and Steam Room streets)
flows a fountain called Manneken-Pis, a brazen little boy just over 20 inches tall who is an icon in Brussels. Inhabitants customize his outfit for big occasions. The original statue is kept at the Museum of the City of Bruxelles.

12. The Little Mermaid

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13. The Pietà

A weeping and especially young Virgin Mary, a symbol of purity, holds a young Jesus on her lap, foreshadowing his death: this is Michelangelo’s Pietà. This major Renaissance piece stands amid other Vatican treasures inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

14. The Capitoline Wolf

Did you realize that this sculpture from the Middle Ages didn’t include Romulus and Remus until the Renaissance? The Capitoline Wolf has become Mater Romanorum and depicts the legend of the founding of Rome. You can see it at Rome’s Capitoline Museums.

15. Maman

Alright, it’s not there one of the most famous sculptures in the world but we want to finish this article with a nod. So, here’s our special dedication to Stranger Things fans. Maman (mom in French), a major piece of Louise Bourgeois, is currently visible at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The spider also graced the Tate Modern in London (which commissioned it) and the Museum of Fine Arts of Ottawa before creeping over to the Mori Museum in Tokyo.